HollywoodNews.com: Happy New Year To All. Anderson Cooper and Kathy Griffin in New York Times Square celebrating New Year’s eve. Wishing all our HollywoodNews.com users and Hollywood Film Festival® and Hollywood Film Awards® honorees and supporters a fantastic 2012.

Once again, congrats to the Hollywood Film Festival® and Hollywood Film Awards® Honorees. The winners of the 2011 festival’s film competition were “Dorfman” by Brad Leong – Best Feature Film; “The World of Z” by Brad Besser and Vince Clemente – Best Documentary; and “Clear Blue” by Lindsay MacKay – Best Short Subject.
The winner of our “Hollywood Movie Awards” was David Yates’ “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2″ – which was chosen by the public voting online at the Yahoo! Movies website. The nominees for the “Hollywood Movie Awards” were: “Captain America: The First Avenger,” “Cowboys & Aliens,” “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2,” “The Help,” “Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides,” “Rango,” “Rise of the Planet of the Apes,” “Super 8,” “Transformers: Dark of the Moon,” and “X-Men: First Class.”
In addition, our Hollywood Film Awards’ honorees were Glenn Close for career achievement;George Clooney, Michelle Williams, Christopher Plummer, Carey Mulligan, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Felicity Jones, Berenice Bejo, Jean Dujardin, Elle Fanning, Amber Heard, Andrea Riseborough, Shailene Woodley, Anton Yelchin, Viola Davis, Bryce Dallas Howard, Allison Janey, Ahna O’Reilly, Octavia Spencer, Mary Steenburgen, Emma Stone, and Cicely Tyson for acting; Bennett Miller for directing; Michel Hazanavicius for directing; Letty Aronson for producing; Diablo Cody for screenwriting; “Rango,” directed by Gore Verbinski, for animation; Alberto Iglesias for film composing; Emmanuel Lubezki for cinematography; Stephen Mirrione for editing; Scott Farrar (“Transformers: Dark of the Moon”) for visual effects; and James J. Murakami for production design.

Looking forward to a great 2012 and our 16th Annual Hollywood Film Festival and Hollywood Film Awards which will take place on October 2012.
Image by John Nowak/CNN

By Sean O’Connell
hollywoodnews.com: “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2,” the eighth and final installment in the beloved film franchise, took home the top prize at the BAFTA Children’s Awards Sunday night, giving the franchise one of its first trophies in what it hopes will be a prosperous awards season.
David Yates’ sequel triumphed in the Feature Film category, where it strangely topped “Deathly Hallows: Part 1” in addition to “Kung Fu Panda 2” and Disney’s “Tangled,” The Guardian UK reports.
Series co-star Warwick Davism who played Professor Filius Flitwick in all eight films, was on hand to accept the trophy on behalf of the series. He said, “Harry Potter is part of popular culture. The series is going to leave a legacy for generations of children to enjoy. Look at Star Wars; the original movies are 30 years old, but we talk about them as though they were released recently. The Harry Potter films will be the same.”
I couldn’t agree more. Since “Goblet of Fire,” I have been banging the drum on behalf of the “Harry Potter” series, calling it the most remarkable cinematic achievement of our lifetime. Name another series that sustained its creative vision through eight films, switching directors but never dropping in quality. The fact that they hired the perfect actors from film No. 1 and delivered on the promise of Rowling’s world blows my mind.
I’d love to see the Academy honor the “Potter” accomplishments with a Best Picture nod come next year. And Warner certainly is pushing for consideration. We’ll see if smaller award victories like this help the cause.
For complete Oscar and film festival coverage, visit our awards alley for the latest news items, reviews and interviews all season long.
Follow Hollywood News on Twitter for up-to-date news information.
Hollywood News, Hollywood Awards, Awards, Movies, News, Award News, Breaking News, Entertainment News, Movie News, Music News

By Sean O’Connell
hollywoodnews.com: Did “Return of the King” blaze a trail that “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 2” – the eighth and final installment in the beloved film franchise – can walk on down?
The theory is being tested by Warner Bros. as the Oscar season continues to develop. For Your Consideration ads have been running on the trade Web sites for weeks. Screener copies of “Deathly Hallows, Part 2” have arrived in key guild mailboxes ahead of end-of-year voting. Screenings are being held in New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco and London, giving voters a chance to see David Yates’ accomplishment on the big screen (as was intended).
Consider this, as well. The studio might have little choice but to pour its collective weight behind the final “Harry Potter” as its most likely Best Picture candidate. (“J. Edgar” likely will not get there, and Stephen Daldry’s “Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close” remains a mystery.)
Which brings us back to the Peter Jackson’s “Lord of the Rings,” which earned its Oscars at the culmination of a lengthy journey. Eleven victories, including Best Picture, Director, Screenplay and several below-the-line categories … where the “Harry Potter” series has left its mark.
Until now.
“Historically, the movies have all been received as much more of a commercial venture as opposed to an artistic one,” Sue Kroll, Warners’ president of worldwide marketing, tells THR. “But I do think this newest film is different. It’s been one of the best-reviewed movies of the year. It really was an artistic breakthrough.”
The film also has the box office necessary to compete, earning $381 million domestically, the highest total in franchise history. And “Part 2” earned a staggering 96% Fresh, with only 10 of the 266 filed reviews counting toward the negative.
Are there places “Potter” can compete if it doesn’t make the Bets Picture cut? Absolutely. Alan Rickman earned the most raves for his franchise-spanning performance as Severus Snape. Ralph Fiennes and Daniel Radcliffe each flirted with awards consideration for their reprisals of Harry Potter and Lord Voldemort, respectively.
But Warner would be wise to roll its dice on the evening’s biggest prize: Best Picture. A current frontrunner has yet to emerge from the pack this year, suggesting we might see an Oscar ceremony that spreads its love around to multiple pictures. If ever there would be a year where the winners in the Actor, Actress, Supporting […]

By Sean O’Connell
hollywoodnews.com: I mentioned this yesterday when reporting on David Yates’s “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2” leading the People’s Choice Awards nominations with 9 nods.
Warner Bros. is preparing a sturdy Oscar push for the final installment in the eight-picture franchise, hoping to capitalize on the series’ successes in much the same way that Peter Jackson scored a Bets Picture win for his third “Lord of the Rings” chapter. A keepsake book arrived in the mail the other day with a bevy of critical quotes praising not only “Part 2” but the entire series. And now, an FYC ad has made its way online as the Oscar campaign continues.
We have it here:

All the ad asks is that we “Consider …” And why not? There’s no clear-cut frontrunner in the Best Picture race this year. And while I believe it’s an uphill battle for a film franchise that never managed to crack the Best Picture race, why couldn’t it happen this year? Warner Bros., at the very least, has to try. The film’s bound to secure technical nods. Could Alan Rickman slip in to a Supporting Actor race? Could Daniel Radcliffe compete for Best Actor? In a bets case scenario, could Yates and “Part 2” find themselves in the thick of the Best Picture competition?
Expect the film to drop back onto Oscar tracker radars when it streets on DVD and Blu-ray on Dec. 2. Do you think “Harry” should have legitimate Oscar hopes? Let us know.
For complete Oscar and film festival coverage, visit our awards alley for the latest news items, reviews and interviews all season long.
Follow Hollywood News on Twitter for up-to-date news information.
Hollywood News, Hollywood Awards, Awards, Movies, News, Award News, Breaking News, Entertainment News, Movie News, Music News

HollywoodNews.com: The reboot of one hallowed franchise and the thrilling final chapter of another are poised to lead the way at Spike TV’s “SCREAM Awards 2011″ (#ScreamAwards), which will be taped on Saturday, October 15 at the Universal Lot in Los Angeles, CA. “X-Men: First Class” and “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2″ each garnered 14 nominations and will vie for many of the night’s top honors during Spike TV’s sixth annual celebration of the sci-fi, fantasy, horror and comic book genres and the actors, creators, icons and pioneers who have influenced and shaped the industry over the past year.
This year’s show will also continue the tradition of featuring exclusive World Premieres from some of the most anticipated movies of 2012. The two-hour event will premiere on Spike TV on Tuesday, October 18 (9:00–11:00 PM, ET/PT). Presenters will be announced shortly.
“SCREAM is a show for the most passionate fans on earth and beyond,” said Casey Patterson, executive producer of “SCREAM Awards 2011″ and executive vice president of event production, talent development and studio relations for Spike TV. “This is their night to celebrate the magical, mind-bending and super heroic year in movies and the TV shows that they love.”
Directed by Matthew Vaughn, “X-Men: First Class” nabbed 14 nominations, among them “The Ultimate Scream,” “Best Director,” and “Best Fantasy Movie.” Not to be outdone, the final installment in the saga of the Hogwarts Academy’s prized pupil, “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2,” also was nominated 14 times, and is up for “The Ultimate Scream,” “Best Director” and “Best Scream-Play.” Two other Marvel Comics franchises joined “X-Men: First Class” to round out the top four, with “Captain America: The First Avenger” and “Thor” receiving 11 and nine nominations, respectively. Among television franchises, HBO’s “Game of Thrones” and “True Blood” each tallied seven nominations, with AMC’s “The Walking Dead” up for six “SCREAM” awards.
Following are several of the categories and nominees for Spike TV’s “SCREAM Awards 2011″.
THE ULTIMATE SCREAM
Black Swan
Captain America: The First Avenger
Game of Thrones
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2
Scott Pilgrim vs. the World
Super 8
Thor
True Blood
The Walking Dead
X-Men: First Class
BEST SCIENCE FICTION MOVIE
Captain America: The First Avenger
Monsters
Super 8
Transformers: Dark of The Moon
Tron: Legacy
BEST FANTASY MOVIE
Black Swan
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2
Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides
Thor
X-Men: First Class […]

By Sean O’Connell
Hollywoodnews.com: Stephen King’s “The Stand” may be coming to theaters in a multi-part adaptation that will be shepherded by “Harry Potter” teammates David Yates (director) and Steve Kloves (screenwriter).
I use the term “may” because, despite some excellent reporting by HitFix’s Drew McWeeny, Stephen King movie adaptation stories tend to make me feel like Charlie Brown lining up to kick that football. And Hollywood, in this lame analogy, is Lucy, pulling the ball away time after time as I’m preparing to boot it through the uprights.
Remember Ron Howard’s planned “Dark Tower” adaptation? Finished. Remember earlier “The Stand” rumors? Kaput.
Granted, if anyone can bring King’s sprawling epic of survivors banding together in a post-virus wasteland of America to defeat an evil force, it would be Yates and Kloves, who successfully steered the “Potter” franchise to a thrilling and satisfying close. Can they work some of their magic – pun intended – on King’s tale?
McWeeny isn’t sure if Warner Bros. is going to give the duo two or three films to flesh out their vision. “Word is that the deals are now coming together quickly, and that this is a priority project for the studio and for Vertigo Pictures, which will produce,” he writes.
So we’ll wait. And hope. And line up to kick the football once again. Will Lucy make us look like fools?
Follow Hollywood News on Twitter for up-to-date news information.
Hollywood News, Hollywood Awards, Awards, Movies, News, Award News, Breaking News, Entertainment News, Movie News, Music News

By Sean O’Connell
Hollywoodnews.com: The boy wizard continues to cast his magic spell over the box office charts.
Late Monday, David Yates’ “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2” moved past Peter Jackson’s “The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King” to become the third-highest-grossing film of all time on the international charts. The final “Potter” has posted $1.13 billion in ticket sales, surpassing Jackson’s $1.11B for “King.”
The only films still ahead of the eighth and final “Potter” are James Cameron’s blockbusters “Titanic” ($1.84B) and “Avatar” ($2.78B). It’s possibly “Harry” can catch the sinking ship, but Cameron’s blue creatures likely will hold on to the top slot for a while longer.
In addition to moving into the all-time slot, “Potter” continues to crush records for the year 2011.
As THR reports, the sequel “was expected to keep racking up records … when edging past ‘Transformers: Dark of the Moon’ ($344.2 million) to become the top grossing film of 2011 in North America, a title it’s likely to hold for the rest of the year. And ‘Deathly Hallows 2’ is only days away from overtaking ‘Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides’ ($798.1 million) to become the No. 1 international title of the year.”
Follow Hollywood News on Twitter for up-to-date news information.
Hollywood News, Hollywood Awards, Awards, Movies, News, Award News, Breaking News, Entertainment News, Movie News, Music News

By Sean O’Connell
Hollywoodnews.com: Yet another record topples before the mighty “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2.”
David Yates’ massive conclusion to the eight-film “Potter” franchise just broke the highest opening weekend for an IMAX film, the latest benchmark cleared by the spectacular sequel.
The last “Potter” film grossed a reported $15.2 million from domestic IMAX showings over its opening weekend for what EW.com reports is “a sizzling $55,000 per theater average.”
In addition to breaking the IMAX number, “Potter” now holds the highest-grossing single day earning ($92 million), the highest-grossing midnight earning ($43.5 million), the highest domestic opening weekend ($169.2M) and the highest global opening weekend ($478.2M).
How high do you think Harry Potter will fly in his final theatrical go-round?
Follow Hollywood News on Twitter for up-to-date news information.
Hollywood News, Hollywood Awards, Awards, Movies, News, Award News, Breaking News, Entertainment News, Movie News, Music News

By Sean O’Connell
Hollywoodnews.com: Another country, another box office record shattered by “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2.”
After breaking single-day and opening-weekend records in the United States, David Yates’ final “Potter” film also destroyed international records. The most recent region to report new box-office records, Hong Kong, noted that “Potter” debuted with “a record-smashing opening day” by posting HK$6.3 million ($808,000) on its opening day, THR notes. That made it Hong Kong’s non-holiday, highest-grossing, opening day ever.
But “Potter” could not beat the opening weekend record notched by “Transformers: Dark of the Moon,” which opened in the region a few weeks earlier. Though as THR notes, Michael Bay’s sequel “opened on a Wednesday, and that five-day weekend included a local public holiday (July 1), when the film grossed HK$10 million on a single day.”
Still, Warner isn’t crying in their soup, as “Potter” has earned an estimated $475 million worldwide in its opening weekend and has set its sights on the all-time highest-grossing record held by James Cameron’s “Avatar.” Can it catch it? Surpass it? We shall see.
Follow Hollywood News on Twitter for up-to-date news information.
Hollywood News, Hollywood Awards, Awards, Movies, News, Award News, Breaking News, Entertainment News, Movie News, Music News

HollywoodNews.com: What else is there to talk about this week in movies? It’s all about a beloved literary character from books read by kids the world over and now brought to life in countless films, the latest opening this past Friday.
And if you think I’m talking about Winnie The Pooh you’re living in a cave.
Despite Disney’s pooh-pooh opening for the week’s only other wide release ,Winnie The Pooh, this week is all about the final, FINAL chapter of Warner Bros. gigantic film franchise , Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part II. Now I wasn’t a huge fan of last November’s Part I, a very dark and somewhat convoluted affair that just seemed to drag out the Potter tale rather than expand it , but this finale is something else . a perfectly pitched emotionally satisfying way for the most successful franchise in motion picture history to go out. Audiences seemed to agree giving this one a solid ‘A’ Cinemascore rating and a record-breaking domestic weekend sendoff of an estimated $168 million, $10 million more than The Dark Knight scored three years ago. Worldwide the total now stands at nearly half a billion ($475 million) for the opening weekend, simply astounding. That beats Potter’s own previous best, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince by over $70 million. Of course this is the first Potter film to succumb to the 3D disease that has swept the industry so those higher prices factored into the much bigger haul this time but actually with Potter fever running at an all time high and interest so intense in the final film it is clear records would be shattered even if it had only been released on 16MM prints.
When I talked to director David Yates on Thursday , the eve of the Potter phenomenon, he expressed his own basic dislike of the 3D process but said he did everything he could to make this 3D conversion the best possible, at least from a technical standpoint. Yates has directed the last four (out of eight) editions of the Harry Potter franchise spending six years solid going from one to another. He only finished this one just three weeks before opening and is now looking for a long vacation. The director had never dabbled in films of this scale before taking on his first one, […]

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Sony Pictures Entertainment added more viewing options for its provocative comedy "The Interview," making the film available through U.S. pay television operators and nearly doubling the number of independent theaters that will show the movie.

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Taylor Swift stole the crown from the princesses of "Frozen" in the final week of 2014 as her pop-centric "1989" became the top-selling album of the year, Billboard reported on Wednesday.